Sales & Earnings

The French firm has suspended the manufacturing of its COVID-19 vaccine, instead emphasizing its hopes in advanced Lyme disease and Chikungunya.

Even as it prepares for competition from an authorized generic, Lupin expects a launch of its generic to Boehringer’s blockbuster Spiriva in the fourth quarter of FY23. It hopes the launch will help its position in the US, where it has exited low margin products amid heightened competition, leading in turn to manufacturing job losses in India

Without disclosing data, 2seventy and BMS reported positive Phase III results in third-line and beyond multiple myeloma, but Carvykti will soon have second-line data.

The UK firm's ensifentrine has exceeded analyst expectations by cutting the rate of moderate to severe COPD exacerbations by 42% over 24 weeks.

Strides’ biopharma arm Stelis Biopharma has moved closer to approval in the EU and likely the US too for a biosimilar to Eli Lilly’s Forteo in FY23, following GMP certification for its manufacturing units. Meanwhile, merchant bankers have been appointed to evaluate strategic options to raise cash for Stelis.

Quarterly ups and down notwithstanding, Dr Reddy’s signals continuing US launch momentum, with its generic Revlimid, for which the Indian firm claims exclusivity for two strengths, set to hit the market next month. “Low competition” assets, especially injectables, also continue to be on the deal-making radar in the US.

Analysts are scratching their heads over what direction the Belgian biotech will take in the coming months and years, with all eyes on an R&D day in October.

Pfizer recorded the largest quarterly sales in its history as its COVID-19 franchise easily outweighed the currency issues that are challenging other companies. But expectations for a quick end to the pandemic have wiped these gains from Pfizer’s stock price.

In this week's podcast version of Five Must-Know Things: planned US drug pricing legislation in focus; solid quarter but no Seagen announcement for Merck & Co; AbbVie’s Gonzalez sounds alarm over US pricing legislation; Alnylam ready to expand in amyloidosis; and Boehringer Ingelheim on global Jardiance strategy.

Competition, both branded and generic, is on the rise but the German group believes that Eylea will continue to outperform given its safety and efficacy profile and the potential of a longer-lasting version of the eye therapy.

Biocon may not be able to make it to the current contracting cycle in the US for its Viatris-partnered biosimilar aspart, but all is not lost, the management indicates. The Indian firm is also buoyant about the prospects of taking its franchise of potentially interchangeable recombinant human insulin to the US.

Amgen is acquiring a pipeline-in-a-pill with ChemoCentryx’s Tavneos, currently approved for ANCA-associated vasculitis, at a time when the company’s existing portfolio is struggling to maintain sales growth.